Cayetano lauds passing on Second Reading of bill to give better support Barangay Health Workers

At A Glance:

• The Senate approved on Second Reading the Magna Carta of Barangay Health Workers (SB 2838) to recognize and support BHWs.

• The bill institutionalizes their rights, benefits, and protections, addressing issues like inadequate pay, lack of benefits, and limited training.

• Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, who earlier filed a similar bill, emphasized BHWs' crucial role during COVID-19 and pushed for better compensation and incentives.

• Senator Pia Cayetano, a health advocate, supports the bill and intends to co-author it as it moves to the final reading.

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano lauded the Senate's approval on Second Reading of the Magna Carta of Barangay Health Workers (Senate Bill No. 2838), saying it is a significant step toward recognizing the invaluable contributions of Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) to the nation's healthcare system.

Cayetano, a co-author of the bill and who had also earlier introduced a measure to better support BHWs, said: "As frontliners of our primary healthcare system, our BHWs must be given sufficient incentives, benefits and most of all just compensation for all the hard work they have done for us."

The proposed legislation, which incorporated all the proposals in Cayetano's earlier bill, seeks to institutionalize the rights, benefits, and protection of BHWs, who serve as the frontline healthcare providers in communities across the nation.

It also aims to address long-standing issues such as inadequate compensation, lack of benefits, and limited access to training and resources for BHWs. It passed on Second Reading on Tuesday, January 28.

Other key provisions of the bill include the professionalization and certification that are now mandated for BHWs to ensure competency in delivering primary healthcare services, the creation of a centralized database to track BHWs nationwide, and support for low-income municipalities to deploy sufficient BHWs, particularly in underserved areas.

Cayetano's earlier bill, the proposed "Mahal Ko, Barangay Health Worker Ko Law," was filed on July 7, 2022 and emphasized the vital role of BHWs during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the principal author, he was the first to file this bill among those included in the committee report.

"During the COVID-19 pandemic, BHWs were notably at the forefront of response where they served as the bridge way of communication between the health centers and constituents," the senator said in his bill's explanatory note.

Inspired by their dedication and hard work, Cayetano sought to improve the BHWs' employment standards, increase their number in each barangay or cluster, and provide them with incentives and benefits. All of his proposals have now been incorporated into the consolidated measure.

"Because all Filipinos deserve the best social services, we should start properly compensating, assisting, and building up the skills of our BHWs, because they are our backbone for the efficient delivery of our overall health system," he explained, lauding the measure.

Senator Pia Cayetano, a fellow health advocate, has expressed her intention to co-author the landmark bill, which is expected to pass Third and Final Reading next week. ###

Cayetano pinuri ang pagpasa sa Ikalawang Pagdinig ng batas para mas suportahan ang Barangay Health Workers

Buod:

• Inaprubahan na sa Senado sa Ikalawang Pagdinig ang Magna Carta of Barangay Health Workers (SB 2838) para kilalanin at suportahan ang mga BHW.

• Pinapatibay ng panukalang batas ang kanilang mga karapatan, benepisyo, at proteksyon. Tinutugunan din nito ang mga isyu tulad ng hindi sapat na sweldo, kakulangan ng mga benepisyo, at limitadong pagsasanay sa mga BHW.

• Naunang naghain ng katulad na panukala si Senador Alan Peter Cayetano, kung saan binigyang diin niya ang mahalagang papel ng mga BHW sa panahon ng COVID-19 at itinulak ang mas magandang kompensasyon at insentibo para sa kanila.

• Bilang health advocate, sumusuporta si Senador Pia Cayetano sa panukalang batas at nagnanais na mag-co-author nito sa pag-usad nito sa Ikatlo at Huling Pagdinig.

• Pinuri ni Senador Alan Peter Cayetano ang pag-apruba sa Ikalawang Pagdinig ng Magna Carta of Barangay Health Workers (Senate Bill No. 2838), isang makabuluhang hakbang tungo sa pagkilala sa napakahalagang kontribusyon ng mga Barangay Health Worker (BHWs) sa pangangalaga sa kalusugan ng mga Pilipino.

Isa si Cayetano sa mga co-author ng panukalang batas at nauna nang naghain ng panukala para mas masuportahan ang mga BHW. "As frontliners of our primary healthcare system, our BHWs must be given sufficient incentives, benefits and most of all just compensation for all the hard work they have done for us," wika niya.

Ang panukalang batas, na isinali ang lahat ng inihain ni Cayetano sa una niyang bill, ay naglalayon ang panukalang batas na itatag ang mga karapatan, benepisyo, at proteksyon ng mga BHW, na nagsisilbing frontline healthcare provider sa mga pamayanan sa buong bansa.

Nilalayon din nitong tugunan ang mga matagal nang isyu tulad ng hindi sapat na sahod, kakulangan ng mga benepisyo, at limitadong access sa pagsasanay at mga mapagkukunan para sa mga BHW. Ipinasa ito sa Second Reading nitong Martes, January 28.

Ang iba pang mahahalagang probisyon ng panukalang batas ay kinabibilangan ng propesyonalisasyon at sertipikasyon na ipinag-uutos ngayon para sa mga BHW upang matiyak ang kakayahan sa paghahatid ng mga pangunahing serbisyo sa pangangalagang pangkalusugan.

Maglilikha rin ito ng isang sentralisadong database upang subaybayan ang mga BHW sa buong bansa, at magbibigay suporta para sa mga munisipalidad na mababa ang kita upang magtalaga ng sapat na mga BHW, partikular sa mga lugar na kulang sa serbisyo.

Una nang inihain ni Cayetano ang kanyang panukalang "Mahal Ko, Barangay Health Worker Ko Law" noong July 7, 2022 na nagbibigay diin sa mahalagang papel ng mga BHW sa panahon ng pandemya. Siya ang unang naghain ng panukalang batas na ngayon ay kasama na sa ulat ng komite.

"During the COVID-19 pandemic, BHWs were notably at the forefront of response where they served as the bridge way of communication between the health centers and constituents," wika ng senador sa explanatory note ng kanyang panukalang batas.

Hangad ni Cayetano na mapabuti ang mga pamantayan sa pagtatrabaho ng mga BHW, dagdagan ang kanilang bilang sa bawat barangay o cluster, at bigyan sila ng mga insentibo at benepisyo. Ang lahat ng kanyang mga panukala ay isinama na ngayon sa pinagsama-samang panukala.

"Because all Filipinos deserve the best social services, we should start properly compensating, assisting, and building up the skills of our BHWs, because they are our backbone for the efficient delivery of our overall health system," paliwanag niya.

Bilang kapwa tagapagtaguyod ng kalusugan, nagpahayag si Senador Pia Cayetano ng kanyang intensyon na maging co-author ng mahalagang panukalang batas, na inaasahang ipapasa sa Ikatlo at Huling Pagdinig sa susunod na linggo.